The present invention relates to a method of discharging liquid feed for animals and/or cleaning agent from a mixing container via at least one feed line to a removal location, in particular drinker, feed and/or cleaning agent being conveyed from the mixing container to the removal location, and also to an apparatus for implementing the method.
Such methods are usually used for supplying feed from a mixing container of an automatic drinker via a feed line to a removal location. Such methods are frequently used, in particular, in the feeding and rearing of animals. They are used predominantly for feeding animals such as calves and piglets.
The problem here is that the feed lines and all the components inserted into the feed line, such as valves or pumps, distributors or even the nozzles for discharging liquid feeds become contaminated by the high milk and protein content. Such lines also have to be cleaned very frequently for hygiene reasons.
The cleaning is frequently problematic since feed residues accumulate preferably in the components, but also in the feed line, and deteriorate there. Germs which are undesirable in the feeding of animals are produced.
With use of centrifugal pumps, the pressure decreases when, for example, said pumps are idling. It is then only possible for the remaining feed in the line to be discharged incompletely.
From the prior art, EP 0 404 028 discloses a container which is intended for accommodating feed and is mounted on a trailer. In order to discharge the feed, preferably in the form of a dry feed, the container is assigned a blower. The container can be emptied via said blower.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,662 describes a mixing container for mixing dry feed with liquid feed, in which the dry feed is blown upward via a fan and supplied continuously to a liquid with constant stirring. This liquid and ready mixed feed is then led to a removal location directly.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method, and an apparatus for implementing the method, of the type described in the introduction, by means of which, during the discharge of feed and/or cleaning agent, there are no residues of either cleaning agent or feed remaining in the components. Good cleaning of the lines and improved transporting properties of feed are to be ensured without the animal having to be kept away from the drinker or from the removal location.
Furthermore, the intention is for it to be possible for the apparatus to be operated by extremely straightforward means. In particular, production and operating costs are to be reduced considerably.
The foregoing object is achieved in that, in order for feed and/or cleaning agent to be discharged completely from the feed line and/or removal location, air is supplied to the feed line cyclically.
The present invention makes it possible, by the preferably cyclic introduction of air into a feed line, for residues of feed in the line, when the mixing container is emptied by the feeding operation, to be discharged to the removal location. There, the animal can take in the residues of feed.
The cyclic supply of air into the feed line is advantageous in the present invention. It takes place in individual pulses. Air can be supplied to this line, for example, for a certain adjustable duration, e.g. four seconds. There is then a break of a few seconds, preferably two seconds.
In this time, it is possible for the extremely small droplets of feed remaining in the feed line to accumulate and form into large drops. A further pulse of air then follows. In this way, the accumulated drops of feed can be transported further in the direction of the removal location and discharged there.
As a result, the feed line can be emptied virtually without any residues being left.
Thereafter, there is a break in order for the animals to have enough time to take in the feed remaining in the feed line and now discharged to the removal location.
Then, if desired, a small quantity of cleaning agent, preferably pure water, is supplied to the feed line via the mixing container. This water is preferably preheated, with the result that, on the one hand, a better cleaning action is achieved and, on the other hand, more can be taken in by the animals at the removal location. A small quantity of water is preferably selected, and this is then discharged at the removal location in the above-described manner by means of air being supplied through the feed line, preferably in a cyclic manner. As a result, the mixing container and all the adjoining components, such as pumps, valves, feed line and nozzles or nipples, are cleaned. The remaining feed droplets are bound by the warm water and discharged at the removal location.
The mixing container, pump, valve elements, feed line and removal location are cleaned just with water, without the animals having to be kept away from the removal location.
In order, nevertheless, to clean the components, such as mixing container, feed line, pump and valve elements, with an additional cleaning agent, it is possible to provide on the end side of the feed line a valve which prevents feed from being led on to the removal location and automatically opens an outflow line. In this way, water with added cleaning agent is let out preferably directly upstream of the removal location. This can also take place at individual branch locations of the feed line. In this case, the feed line and pump, mixing container and valve elements are cleaned virtually completely. Cleaning agent may also be discharged in the above-described manner using air. Follow-up cleaning with water then takes place.
If the removal location is likewise intended to be cleaned with cleaning agent, the animals have to be kept away from it. For this purpose, it may be advantageous if the removal location is automatically concealed by means of a covering element and, if appropriate, an outflow line in the trough is opened.
Thereafter, clear water for rinsing is supplied to the mixing container and feed line, said water also being discharged via the cyclic supply of air.
The feed line can be emptied virtually completely in this way.
It is also important, however, in the present invention that the individual operations, the cyclic supply of air, the switching of the valves and the determination of feed quantity and cleaning-fluid quantity, can be freely selected and determined. These can be adjusted precisely by way of a control apparatus of the mixing container. It is thus possible to influence different lengths of feed lines for discharging cleaning agent and feed. As the length of a feed line increases, it is necessary to select longer cycles in which the air is supplied cyclically to the feed line.
It is then also possible to select correspondingly longer breaks, in which the animals at the removal location can take in the rest of the discharged feed. The same also applies to the above-described cleaning process. In this way, it is possible for cleaning programs to be adapted individually to the length of feed line and to removal locations, in order to achieve the best possible cleaning and hygiene.
It has also proven particularly advantageous for the covering element, which is provided for closing the removal location, itself to be designed as a removal location or feed trough. In this case, it is possible to supply feed to the animals when the actual removal location is covered over. During this time, the removal location located therebeneath can be cleaned without the animals trying to open said removal location itself or to damage it as it is closed. The animals are distracted and have access to the newly introduced feed on the covering element. The removal location can thus be closed without difficulty.